Petunia plant named &#39;SAKPET096&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  petunia  plant particularly distinguished by having rose and white star-patterned bicolored flowers and a mounding habit, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Petunia hybrida f. cv.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘SAKPET096’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises of a new and distinct variety of petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida f. cv., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘SAKPET096.’ ‘SAKPET096’ is characterized by having rose and white star-patterned bicolored flowers and a mounding plant habit. Petunia variety ‘SAKPET096’ originated from a hybridization in Kakegawa, Japan in 2009. The female parent was a proprietary petunia breeding line named ‘PCB-1’ (unpatented) having blue and white star-patterned bicolored flowers and a semi-mounding plant habit. The male parent was a proprietary petunia breeding line named ‘6Bcr-135a-2a’ (unpatented) having rose-pink colored flowers and a creeping plant habit.

In June 2009, ‘PCB-1’ and ‘6Bcr-135a-2a’ were crossed and 100 seeds were obtained. In February 2010, the F₁ seed was sown in a greenhouse, cultivated, and 30 plants were produced with flower colors of rose and white star-pattern, blue and white star-pattern, magenta, blue, rose, and flowers that open dark violet and mature to a light lavender plum and mounding, semi-mounding and semi-creeping plant habits. In March 2011, a plant line was selected within the F₁ plants that had rose and white star-patterned flowers and a mounding plant growth habit. The selection was named ‘L2011-205’. From February through March 2011 the selection was evaluated for day length neutral flowering response. In March 2011, ‘L2011-205’ was vegetatively propagated, cultivated and transplanted to the field for outdoor evaluation. In October 2011 and in January 2012 the breeder confirmed that line ‘L2011-205’ was fixed and stable. The line was subsequently named ‘SAKPET096’ and its unique characteristics were found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Rose and white star-patterned bicolored flowers; and     -   2. A mounding growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This petunia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a 5 month old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the spring of 2014. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKPET096’. Data was collected on plants grown 5 months from transplant into 8-inch posts from rooted cuttings in Salinas, Calif., under greenhouse conditions in the spring 2014. Plants were pinched once during growth. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society of London color chart (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001). Anatomic labels are from The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, by M. Hickey and C. King, Cambridge University Press.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Botanical.—Petunia hybrida f. cv.         -   Common.—Petunia.         -   Designation.—‘SAKPET096’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary petunia breeding line named             ‘PCB-1’ (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary petunia breeding line named             ‘6Bcr-135a-2a’ (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 4 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated for five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution:9 water) root             inducing solution immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient             roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and             grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse             located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based             growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen,             10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or             every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were             top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing             20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical             average air temperature was 24° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Decumbent (trailing).         -   Habit.—Mounding.         -   Height.—About 28.0 cm from soil line to top of foliage.         -   Spread.—About 80.0 cm.         -   Number of branches.—About 8 main basal branches; many             secondary and tertiary branches.         -   Length of branches.—24.0 cm.         -   Diameter of branches.—3.0 mm.         -   Life cycle.—Annual; tender perennial in warm climates.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—6 to 8 weeks.         -   Flowering requirements (season).—Will flower so long as             temperature is above 13° C. and greater than 12 hours of             daylight.         -   Temperature tolerances.—No particular temperature tolerances             observed. -   Stems:     -   -   Stem color.—RHS 143A (Green).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight, RHS N187A (Greyed-Purple).         -   Stem pubescence.—Heavy.         -   Stem pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).         -   Stem description.—Pliable; circular cross-section.         -   Stem length.—About 19.0 cm.         -   Stem diameter.—About 2.0 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.0 cm. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.         -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.         -   Leaf base.—Attenuate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf margin.—Entire.         -   Leaf surface.—Dull, waxy and sticky with slight pubescence.         -   Leaf length.—2.5 cm.         -   Leaf width.—1.5 cm.         -   Leaf color.—Upper: RHS 146A (Yellow-Green) Lower: RHS 146B             (Yellow-Green).         -   Leaf variegation.—Absent.         -   Leaf fragrance.—Absent.         -   Leaf surface pubescence.—Slight.         -   Leaf surface pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).         -   Petiole.—Absent.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color (both surfaces).—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green). -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Number of flowers per node.—1.         -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Flower depth.—0.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—4.5 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Corolla shape.—Funnel-shaped with 5 fused petals.         -   Corolla diameter.—8.0 mm.         -   Corolla depth.—0.5 cm.         -   Corolla tube length.—2.0 cm.         -   Corolla tube diameter.—1.0 cm.         -   Corolla tube pubescence.—Heavy.         -   Corolla tube pubescence color.—RHS N155A (White).         -   Corolla tube color.—Inner surface: RHS 78A (Purple) with RHS             N77A (Purple) veins Outer surface: RHS 79C (Purple) with RHS             N77A (Purple) veins. -   Calyx:     -   -   Sepal number.—5, free.         -   Sepal attachment.—Sessile.         -   Sepal apex.—Obtuse.         -   Sepal base.—Attenuate.         -   Sepal margin.—Entire.         -   Sepal length.—1.5 cm.         -   Sepal width.—3.0 mm.         -   Sepal color.—Upper surface: RHS 144B (Yellow-Green) Lower             surface: RHS 144C (Yellow-Green). -   Bud:     -   -   Bud surface.—Dull, sticky, heavy pubescence; pubescence             color is RHS N155A (White).         -   Bud length.—2.3 cm.         -   Bud diameter.—4.0 mm.         -   Bud shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Bud color.—RHS N77A (Purple) at center and RHS 77A (Purple)             at the tip. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Peduncle length.—3.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—1.0 mm.         -   Peduncle color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green) with heavy             pubescence; pubescence color is RHS N155A (White). -   Petals:     -   -   Petal pubescence.—Glabrous.         -   Petal length.—2.0 cm.         -   Petal width.—2.0 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Obcordate.         -   Petal apex.—Acuminate.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal color.—Upper surface: RHS N74A (Red-Purple), RHS N74B             (Red-Purple) and RHS N155A (White) with RHS 77A (Purple) at             mid-vein Lower surface: RHS N74C (Red-Purple) with RHS N77A             (Purple) at mid-vein. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Stamen form: Arranged adjacent to pistil Stamen             number: 5, free Stamen length: 1.0 cm Filament color: RHS             84A (Violet) Anther color: RHS 94A (Violet-Blue).         -   Pistil.—Pistil number: 1 Pistil length: 2.0 cm Stigma color:             RHS 83A (Violet) with RHS 139A (Green) at tip Stigma length:             2.0 mm Style color: RHS 145A (Yellow-Green) Style length:             1.8 cm.         -   Ovary.—Ovary arrangement: Superior Ovary surface color: RHS             N144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Pollen.—Pollen amount: Abundant Pollen description: Powdery             Pollen color: RHS 97A (Violet-Blue) Seed production: Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or     susceptibility observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPET096’ is a new and distinct cultivar of petunia having a rose and white star-patterned bicolored flowers and a mounding plant habit. ‘SAKPET096’ is most similar to the commercial Petunia variety SUN SPUN ‘Raspberry Star’ Petunia (U.S. Pat. No. 7,642,436); however, there are differences as listed in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Similar Variety SUN SPUN Characteristic ‘SAKPET096’ ‘Raspberry Star’ Petal color, upper RHS N74A (Red-Purple), Red-Purple (darker than surface RHS N74B (Red-Purple) SAKPET096) with RHS and RHS N155A (White) N155D (White) with RHS 77A (Purple) at mid-vein Petal color, lower RHS N74C (Red-Purple) RHS 79C (Violet) with surface with RHS N77A (Purple) N155D (White) at mid-vein Flower diameter 4.5 cm Larger than ‘SAKPET096’ Plant growth habit Mounding Tight, compact, ball- shaped habit

‘SAKPET096’ differs from the parental lines ‘PCB-1’ and ‘6Bcr-135a-2a’ as described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Parental Lines Characteristic ‘SAKPET096’ ‘PCB-1’ ‘6Bcr-135a-2a’ Flower color Rose and white star- Blue and white Rose-pink patterned bicolored star-patterned bicolored Plant growth Mounding Semi-mounding Creeping habit 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of petunia plant named ‘SAKPET096’ as described and illustrated herein. 